Chad Le Clos

 

Victory by less than a second.  Le Clos beat multiple gold medallist Michael Phelps by 0.05 in the Men’s 200m Butterfly.

Spectators at the London’s Aquatic Centre were just as stunned as Lollipop and I.

Phelps is now the most decorated Olympian- holding the record for most medals ever won, yet Le Clos clinched the gold.

Should we really be this shocked?

Maybe not. The 20-year-old South African is the current Commonwealth Champion winning 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze medals in 2010.

During training Le Clos said his best chance would be in the 200m Butterfly racing against Phelps. The champion had clearly been building up to this moment.

So although this is his first Olympic medal in comparison to Phelps growing tally of 19, Le Clos was prepared.

He stayed behind Phelps the entire swim and just edged in front in the final second.

With the great American swimmer set to retire from the Olympics Le Clos looks ready to take his place.

These are his maiden games and Le Clos is hoping to use London 2012 to develop for 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.

Our champion is looking ahead and so is Lollipop. We can’t wait to see him become one of the greatest swimmers ever.

He moves South Africa to 10th in the Medal Table.

 

Laura Robson

No one was expecting brilliance from Britain’s 18-year-old in the Women’s Olympic Singles at Wimbledon.

Yet Robson beat her Czech opponent Lucie Safarova in straight sets to secure a looming tie with World Number one Maria Sharapova. Lollipop and I were thrilled

To think the former junior Wimbledon Champion was not even selected for the Women’s Singles but was listed as a first alternative. Until the withdrawal of Croatia’s Petria Martic that is.

Robson joined Anne Keothavong, Elena Baltacha and Heather Watson in her first ever Olympic tournament. Now all she had to do was perform.

And she didn’t fail to entertain the Wimbledon Court crowd.

During the first round she was 3 sets up but somehow Safarova struck back taking the it to a tie break. Robson won it comfortably 7-4 and broke in the second set at 4 games all to go through to the second round.

But what will the Aussie born player need to do beat Russia’s Sharapova?

The French Open Champion beat Robson in the second round of Wimbledon 2011 in straight sets. But it was a tough match for Sharapova and she praised Robson after saying she had “great potential.”

But our champion of the day will need more than just potential to finally defeat a Miss shrieking Sharapova tomorrow.

Is it possible?

Maybe; she’s come so close to beating big names in Wimbledon like Italy’s Francesca Schiavone and Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic.

But with less pressure than other British athletes Lollipop thinks she has a great chance to succeed.

What will tomorrow bring?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kevin Durant

 

First Lady Michelle Obama cheered as if Team USA were already champions at the London 2012 Men’s Basketball. Lollipop and I were also impressed with their preliminary round performance. Especially by Kevin Durant.

The 23-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder star scored best for his team with 22 points against a well defeated French Team.

His 3 pointer from the right courtside at 45-43 in the 2^nd quarter was one of his best finishes for Lollipop and I to watch.

The 6-ft-9 forward from Washington D.C was dominant throughout but it wasn’t always so easy for Durant.

Despite Durant receiving an invitation to the Team USA Basketball training camp in late February 2007 – becoming only the second freshman to achieve this – he was cut from the USA Men’s Senior National Team for the 2008 Summer Olympics.

But Durant didn’t give up. He led his team to their first FIBA World Championships. He smashed Team USA scoring records including most points in a tournament (205) and most points in a single game (38).

So clearly this guy hasn’t even started. And it’s only the preliminary round! Coach Mike Krzyzewski would have been crazy to leave him out this time.

Especially as Team USA hope to beat the 1992 Dream Team that changed international hoops forever at the Barcelona Games. It was the first American Olympic team to feature active NBA players.

And Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant believes it’s possible.

With such a positive start maybe there could be a Dream team at London 2012. What ever happens Durant will play an important part.

Lollipop would never cut him from our list of champions.  And we’re betting he’ll score even more hoops against Team Tunisia this Tuesday.

 

 

Louis Smith

It’s only just begun but Lollipop and I have already named our second champion. The 23-year-old Peterborough gymnast has been in our sights since he won Bronze in Beijing for his near flawless Pommel Horse routine.

Now our champion landed another amazing routine to score 15.800 and secure his place in the Pommel Horse Final next Sunday.

The Men’s GB gymnast team will also compete in their first team final since 1924.

Smith was overcome with emotions and the support of the crowd. But his tears of relief could turn to sorrow if he doesn’t match his performance in Beijing next Sunday.

The bronze medallist is the first in Britain to win a medal in the individual gymnastics at the Olympic Games since Walter Tysall won silver in 1908.  He is the second black male gymnast to win a medal in an Olympic competition.

Since the 2008 Olympics, Smith has been a European silver medallist three times, and has won silver and bronze at the world championships.

Pundits already expect him and Team GB to go further. They finished in front of world champions China. But the USA and Russia also qualified in front of the home side. The pressure is great and the tears and applause towards the end were shown for the world to see.

But medal or not our Louis Smith is already a champion to Lollipop

Look out for his tattoos. He has angels on each side of his back to help him fly to Olympic victory and two messages:

“Rest in Peace Nan, Missing you.”

“What I Deserve I Earn.”

Yuki Otsu

Don’t worry Lollipop hadn’t heard of him either. Until he smashed Spain’s defence and scored the first football goal of London 2012 for Japan.

The 22-year-old stunned spectators and commentators with his 34^th minute strike set up by Takahiro Ohgihara’s corner.

His side defeated a 10-man Spain leaving them bottom of their group after day one of the men’s football.

For those of you like my Lollipop who wouldn’t class Yuki Otsu as Olympic Royalty let me fill you in.

Otsu currently plays for Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach. Although he failed to score for his side last season I’m sure club manager Lucien Fayre is pleased with his current form.

This is his fourth goal for Japan and I doubt it’ll be his last in the Olympics. Against a Spanish side that included Manchester United’s David de Gea and Euro 2012 champions Juan Mato and Jordi Alba this guys got game.

Ok, So Spain’s Iñigo Martínez was sent off for bringing down Kensuke Nagai in the 41^st minute. But Japan had already cemented victory.

Although Japan coach, Takashi Sekizuka.is not getting carried away. He Said: “There are still many games to play. We look forward to playing alongside Spain again in the knock-out round.”

Lollipop and I are clearly are. Yuki Otsu is our Olympic champion of the day and if he can score in their next game against Honduras maybe Spain should start panicking.

But of course we’re Team GB all the way. Superb strike Bellamy.